THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 1, 1994 TAG: 9407280005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
J. R. Bullington's article on the new world order and global economy (Commentary, July 10) is useful and interesting comment on perhaps the most-vital subject facing the U.S. and world populace.
I agree that (a) ``we need amoral and spiritual renewal of our own society'' and (b) ``today, foreign and domestic policy cannot be kept in separate boxes.'' I say this has been quite correct, at least since World War II.
However, I keenly disagree with his major contention that in today's ``new world order/global economy, the biggest threat to American security is not foreign, nor military nor economic in nature. It is domestic social and moral decay.''
While this decay is a real threat, and due partially to some of our own internal causes, a larger threat is U.S. international-trade policy that has caused abysmally unfair import competition which has exported/eliminated so many U.S. jobs (especially of good quality) and caused other economic harm; and these effects are greatly contributing to our domestic social and moral decay.
Mr. Bullington asserts that ``it has been amply demonstrated that international trade creates wealth, benefiting the economies of both trading partners.'' This conclusion is highly questionable to many close observers, and the demonstration of it is even more questionable. Moreover, my first-hand exposure, over the past 38 years, to the conduct and results of U.S. international trade policy (and overall foreign policy) demonstrates to me that this has been very unfair and very harmful, in large net terms, to the U.S. economy and most of its citizens. Also, that it has greatly facilitated many foreign countries to not properly develop their own domestic markets/economies and middle-income sectors.
During much of the 1970s and 1980s, I was a rare U.S. government trade negotiator who argued against U.S. trade policy as applied to Japan, which clearly is very largely a one-way benefit for Japan over the United States. The Clinton and other administrations have admitted this publicly.
There is much quantitative and qualitative information to support my contentions on Japan and international trade/foreign policy in general; but that is beyond the scope of this letter, as are suggested changes in U.S. policy for U.S. international trade/overall foreign affairs.
ABNER DEATHERAGE
Elizabeth City, N.C., July 18, 1994 by CNB